Japan says trying to prevent rare-whale deaths - Reuters

Japan says trying to prevent rare-whale deaths
08 Feb 2007 06:52:20 GMT
Source: Reuters

TOKYO, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Japan is trying to prevent the deaths of critically endangered
gray whales after one was found caught in a fishing net last month, a senior fisheries
official said on Thursday.

Earlier this month, the Switzerland-based World Conservation Union (IUCN) said it hoped
Japanese authorities would take immediate action to reduce risks to Western gray whales,
whose population they estimated at about 120.

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The January death of a female Western gray whale, whose carcass was found in a fishing
net off northeastern Japan, was the fourth in two years. Three other females died after
becoming entangled in fishing nets along Japan's Pacific coast in 2005.

"This rate of loss of females will, if continued, lead to extinction of the population with
high probability," the IUCN said in a statement issued last week, noting that it believes
there are only 25 to 35 females of reproductive age.

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